Anthracite Hauler
by thomas-2102
Summary: Follow 2102 as he travels all across the Anthracite Region of the United States working for the Reading Railroad and hauling black diamonds.
1. Chapter 1

Anthracite Hauler

Chapter 1

Narrator: Lights shown all around him, he was surrounded by the sound of riveting, hammering, and pounding. He looked all around. He did not know where he was. He saw strange machines all about him, but did not know what they were. He also saw strange creatures working on the machines. He did not know what to make of all of this. Then one of the creatures came up to him and spoke.

Creature: Hello, 2102, welcome to life!

2102: Excuse me, what am I called?

Creature: You are 2102, one of the earliest of the new T-1 class steam locomotives of the Reading Railroad!

2102: I am a steam locomotive?

Creature: yes!

2102: And what are you?

Creature: I am a human, by the name of Jonathan Andrews.

2102: Are those machines all around steam engines too?

Jonathan: They sure are!

2102: Wow! They look amazing!

Jonathan: Yes, but not as amazing as you, and yout wait to meet my co-workers and get to work!

Jonathan: You Will, Just wait!

Narrator: And 2102 did get to work and have many adventures.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Testing Narrator: The next day, 2102 was pulled out by a small steam engine with only four small wheels and had his cab in the center of his boiler. 2102 decided to ask what kind of engine he was. 2102: Excuse me, but what kind of engine are you? Other engine: My name is Zach, and I am an A5 0-4-0 Camelback switcher. 2102: You have a name!? Zach: Yes, they usually wait to give you a name until you decide which one you want. 2102: I see. Narrator: Just then Jonathan came up to him. Jonathan: 2102, you are going to be fired up and tested by being put on a heavy coal train to the town of Weatherly. Now I will not be you're driver because I am not a trained Engine driver, but you will have a trained driver and fireman for the trip. 2102: That sounds exciting. Zach: Yes, but watch out for those freight cars, they are pure evil. 2102: What do you mean evil? Zach: You will see what I mean. Narrator: Soon 2102's water tank and coal bunker were both filled up and his fire lit and he was starting to build up a head of steam. It felt good. 2102: I can't wait to see all of the sights of the railroad. Zach: Yes, there are also lots of other engines and people from this railroad and other railroads. 2102: Oh boy! I can't wait to meet them! Zach: Yes, but watch out for Matthias, he might not like you for a while. 2102: Why? Narrator: Zach was about to reply but just then someone climbed into 2102's cab and pulled on his throttle and he started to move away. 2102: Woah! This feels even more awesome than just being under steam. Driver: Yes, now let's get you to the yard and get you coupled up to the coal train. Narrator: 2102 eased through the switches until he reached the freight yard. He was amazed at it's size. There were freight cars of all different shapes and sizes everywhere! 2102: Wow! This is Amazing! By the way, where is my train? Driver: It is over there in that track. 2102: That whole train is for us!? Driver: Yes, now let's get going! Narrator: So 2102 hooked up to the train and he started to pull, but he found it very hard to start. 2102: Why is this train so heavy? Driver: Because you are not broken in yet, this is a more heavy train than usual to test you're manufacturing job, and the cars are resisting against you. 2102: The cars are resisting me!? Driver: Yes, Freight cars are very naughty things that are very lazy and worse still will pull tricks on a locomotive. Narrator: However, the trip to Reading was mostly uneventful and 2102 made good time. He emptied his train and went back to Reading. When he got back there were some people there waiting there for him. He was not sure what this was for. 2102: Who are they? Driver: They are the Reading's safety inspectors here to make sure that you had a safe first trip and to make sure that we built you properly. Narrator: The driver got down from the cab and had a few words with the inspectors. They took some notes down and left. Then he turned to face 2102 andsaid Driver: well, 2102, it looks like you have passed you're inspections, now let's get you to the roundhouse! 2102: Alright! Narrator: As 2102 made his way into the roundhouse area, he stared at a round thing with what looked like a bridge in the middle of it. He wondered what it was. Just then he heard a voice Voice: Wondering what the turntable is are you? Narrator: 2102 turned to see Jonathan looking at him. 2102: What does it do? Jonathan: It turns engines to the proper stalls of the roundhouse they need to go to. 2102: Well put me on it! Narrator: So 2102 was driven onto the turntable and the operator turned it to an empty stall. 2102 felt it very fun to turn on it. 2102: Wheee! Narrator: Then the turntable stopped and 2102 was driven into the Roundhouse and parked. As he was starting to fall asleep he was thinking to himself 2102: "If my life is going to be like it was today, I am going to have a very awesome time. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Narrator: The next day, 2102's crew arrived and started to get him ready for another day of pulling trains out on the Reading Railroad. He was very excited.

2102: Wow, that was an exciting day yesterday, I wonder how this day is going to go.

Driver: I think that you are going to like today, we are pulling a passenger train!

2102: A passenger train?!

Fireman: Yes, we are going to be pulling a passenger train bound for the town of Bethlehem.

2102: Wow! I get to pull a long passenger train!

Driver: Yes, this is one of the longest passenger trains on the railroad.

Fireman: Now 2102, this is not like pulling freight cars, these are passengers. They will want to be pulled gently and smoothly. If you are rough with those coaches the passengers will get angry and not travel on this railroad again.

2102: Alright, lets' get going!

Driver: Let us hope we don't end up like my first run with a brand new locomotive.

2102: Why, what happened?

Driver: The first time I had a run with a new engine was on the Lehigh Valley Railroad. The engine thought he should keep going past a conductor's warning light. We hit the back of a stalled passenger train in Mud Run and many people were killed. I quit my job on that railroad after that cause I couldn't stand going through that place again. My fireman, Matthew was killed that night.

2102: Oh Dear, you must have been very upset.

Driver: Yes, I was.

Narrator: 2102 suddenly thought that name to be very cool. Then they pulled out onto the table and they went to the passenger station to collect the train.

2102: This train is shorter than the coal train we pulled yesterday, how come?

Driver: Because passenger trains don't carry as much stuff as freight trains do.

2102: I see.

Narrator: They coupled onto the train, and when the conductor blew the whistle, they set off.

Fireman: This is going to be a fast trip.

2102: Why do you say that?

Fireman: Because the passenger trains run much faster than the freight trains do.

2102: I would love to go fast.

Driver: Good, because we are going to be going almost as fast as you can go!

2102: Oh, Boy!

Narrator: They pulled out of the station, and they set off into the country, then they started to pick up more and more speed.

2102: This is getting interesting.

Narrator: They continued to go faster until they were going 60 miles per hour.

2102: Whoa! Man, I love this!

Driver: Yeah, just don't start getting yourself all too wound up, or you will lose consentration and get into an accident.

2102: OK I will remember that.

Narrator: They continued to clip along until they reached Bethlehem. As they pulled into the yard, he noticed an engine that was equally as large as him coupled up to a general merchandise train. This engine had 5 small sets of driving wheels instead of 4 sets, making him a 2-10-2. 2102 decided to try to talk to him after the passengers were offloaded.

2102: Hi there, I am 2102, and who are you?

2-10-2: I am Jonathan. You must be one of them new 4-8-4s they are building.

2102: Yes, I am. I have just finished pulling my first passenger train.

2-10-2: I bet that was fun.

2102: Yes, it was!

Jonathan: I have to go now, I have to get this train to Hazelton.

2102: OK!

Narrator: So Jonathan set off. Just then, 2102s driver spoke up.

Driver: Listen up, 2102, we are staying in the engine house here tonight.

2102: Why?

Driver: Because it is getting late, and we will have to run at night if we are to go back home now.

2102: OK.

Narrator: So 2102 was driven over to the house. As he got there, he noticed that the engine house had only a few stalls, and had no turntable.

2102: Why does this roundhouse have only a few stalls and no turntable?

Driver: Because there is usually no more than a few engines that stay here, and it is very expensive to put in a turntable.

2102: I see.

Narrator: As 2102 was put into the engine house, he began to think of something. He was thinking about why he liked the name Matthew a lot. Then, he suddenly remembered something, Zack told him that it was up to the locomotives to decide what they are named.

2102: Driver! Fireman! I decided what I am going to name myself!

Driver: Really, what?

2102: I want to be named Matthew.

Driver: That is great! I will remember my friend Matthew through you! Wait a minute, I just remembered something, I never told you my and you're fireman's names!

Matthew: what are they?

Driver: My name is Jack, and you're Fireman's name is George.

Matthew: Those are cool names.

Jack: Well, me and George had better go to the Bunkhouse!

Matthew: OK, see you in the morning!

Matthew: Good Night!

Narrator: And Matthew went to sleep. He was going to have fun telling his name to everyone.


End file.
